Great Migration Lyrics
And now I find myself
In promise land
Back home we lived in terror
Lynching mobs
No jobs we had
I heard some rumors
That up north
A man could work if black
Momma gave savings, blessings
And then I just
Packed my bags
Me fui del pueblo
Como ancestros
Es nada nuevo
(I left the village
Like ancestors
It's notthing new)
Hay que ir pa'l norte
Es el ritmo
De la vida, pues
It's the rhythm
Of life, well)
El dolar to' controla
Dame fuerza
Pa' mis pies
(The dollar controls all
Give me strength
For my feet)
Caminé por desiertos
Y me encuentro
Con gran sed
(I walked through deserts
And I find myself
With great thirst)
A generation passes
Here we are
In great distress
A one room flat
And a shared bathroom
Where's the hope I had?
Only job I've had
Is as laundress
The union at my
Husband's factory
Just won't take him
Limpio casas
Cuido niños
Y me pagan como que no vale
(I clean houses
Take care of children
And they don't pay me what it's worth)
Mi hombre lava platos
También carros
Mucho estres
(My man washed plates
And also cars
Lots of stress)
Vivimos en terror
Que los dueños
Nos deporten
That the bosses
Will deport us)
Quedaran nuestros hijos
Aqui nacieron
No puede ser
(Our children will stay behind
They were born here
It can't be)
We have short memories
And narrow hearts
Why can't you see?
The struggles others passed
Are coming back
This century
Le rezo a gran poderes
Que todo
Cambie
(I pray to great powers
That everything
Changes)
No hay mal que dure cien años
Ni cuerpo
Que lo resiste
(There is no evil that can last 100 years
Nor a body
That can endure it)
About
“Great Migration”
Lyrics and vocals: Sandy Placido; instrumentals: Winston Groman; production/post-production: Winston Groman, Sandy Placido.
This song compares the early 20th century Great Migration of African Americans in the U.S. to the contemporary migration of Latin Americans to the U.S.
Inspired by various books: Tera Hunter, “To ‘Joy My Freedom: Southern Black Women’s Lives and Labors after the Civil War”, Lorraine Hansberry, “A Raisin in the Sun”, James Grossman, “Land of Hope: Chicago, Black Southerners, and the Great Migration”, Lizabeth Cohen, “Making a New Deal: Industrial Workers in Chicago, 1919-1939”, Ramón “Tianguis” Pérez, “Diary of an Undocumented Immigrant”.
Also inspired by the evolving immigrant rights movement, as well as the sacrifices and wisdom of my own parents who migrated for better lives; lyrics written in spring of 2012, recording completed 3/17/2014
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